GREAT BARRINGTON, MA —Community Access to the Arts (CATA) will exhibit at The Whitney Center for the Arts in Pittsfield March 4th through the 27th. The show will include framed paintings, drawings, and pastels created by artists with disabilities in CATA visual arts workshops throughout the year. All artwork is for sale, with CATA artists receiving a commission on all artworks sold.

An opening reception will be held Friday, March 4 from 5-8PM as a part of First Fridays Artswalk. A free after-party and social gathering follows from 8PM to 10PM with live music by singer/songwriter Alan Monasch.

CATA’s Executive Director Margaret Keller noted “CATA partners with 13 different Pittsfield organizations to offer arts workshops to 200 people with disabilities in Pittsfield alone. We are thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase the talents of our artists in this beautiful gallery space.”

CATA provides visual and performing arts workshops to 600 people with disabilities across Berkshire County. This exhibit is a part of CATA’s Art on Tour program, where original works of art created by CATA artists travels throughout the year to museums, galleries, community centers, and other venues in Berkshire County. To learn more about CATA programs and events, visit communityaccesstothearts.org

The Whitney Center for the Arts is located at 42 Wendell Avenue, in Pittsfield’s Upstreet Cultural District. For more information on First Fridays Artswalk and to view a listing and map of all participating artists and locations, visit FirstFridaysArtswalk.com.

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CATA Artists to Exhibit at Good Purpose Gallery in Lee

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) will exhibit a collection of paintings by people with disabilities at The Good Purpose Gallery in Lee from January 15 – February 16. An artist reception will take place Friday, January 15 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

“Given the overlap between our missions, we are especially thrilled to partner with Good Purpose Gallery on this exhibit showcasing the talents and abilities of our remarkable CATA artists. We can’t wait for the community to see our colorful, striking, CATA art in this beautiful space.” remarked CATA executive director, Margaret Keller.

The exhibit will feature 30”x40” canvases created in CATA’s A.R.T. painting workshops. A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Technologies) is an adaptive painting technique developed by artist, Tim Lefens. This innovative process allows individuals with severe physical disabilities to precisely execute their creative vision with the help of a tracker acting as the hands of the artist. Through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, CATA faculty artists were trained as A.R.T. trackers.

Both CATA and Good Purpose Gallery (a part of College Internship Program) share a mission to integrate people with disabilities into the community at large.

Good Purpose Gallery is open 9am – 4pm every day, for more information visit: www.goodpurpose.org.

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CATA Board Changes

FOR RELEASE
November 23, 2015
Contact: Liana Toscanini
(413) 528-5485

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA — Four new trustees have been elected to Community Access to the Arts’ board of directors. John Katz, Sharon Mozian, Richard Petrino, and Linda Russell will serve three-year terms. Katz is an investment banker and business consultant who currently serves on both the Board of Assessors and the Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town of Great Barrington, MA. Mozian is the Director of Mental Health Programs at Berkshire Health Systems. Petrino is an organizational development consultant and executive coach. Russell is a former English teacher and tutor who volunteers at CATA and The Literacy Network of South Berkshire.

The following officers were also elected: president, Steve Shatz; vice presidents, Heather Heim and Emily Rechnitz; treasurer; Melissa Lydon; secretary, Beverly Hosokawa. John Whalan stepped down as board president after serving for five years in that role. He will remain on the board.

HOLIDAY CARDS AND CALENDARS SUPPORT CATA’S ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES

FOR RELEASE

November 23, 2015Contact: Liana Toscanini(413) 528-5485Digital Images Available of holiday cards and calendar

HOLIDAY CARDS AND CALENDARS SUPPORT CATA’S ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES

GT. BARRINGTON – Holiday cards and 2016 calendars are now available from Community Access to the Arts (CATA), a nonprofit that provides arts programs for 600 people with disabilities in Berkshire County.

The cards and calendars feature images created in CATA’s visual arts workshops. The artists earn a design fee if their image is used. Proceeds from the sale of cards and calendars help fund CATA programs taking place in 37 settings across Berkshire County and in CATA’s studio on Railroad Street in Great Barrington.

CATA’s jewelry, cards and accessories are available in local retail stores, in the CATA boutique on the second floor of 40 Railroad Street, and online at cataarts.org

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CATA TO EXHIBIT AT NO. SIX DEPOT IN NOVEMBER

FOR RELEASEOctober 16, 2015Contact: Liana Toscanini(413) 528-5485

CATA TO EXHIBIT AT NO. SIX DEPOT IN NOVEMBER

GREAT BARRINGTON — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) will be the featured exhibit in the No. Six Depot gallery in West Stockbridge from November 12 through November 30. An informal “Meet the Artist” event takes place Monday, November 23 at 10:30 a.m.

The exhibit includes framed paintings, drawings and pastels created by artists with disabilities in CATA visual arts workshops throughout the year. All artwork is for sale with CATA artists earning 50% commission on work sold.

CATA provides hundreds of visual arts workshops to people with disabilities across Berkshire County, in addition to workshops in other genres including dance, theater, yoga, creative writing, and juggling. Artwork travels across Berkshire County through a program called CATA Art on Tour and is also shared with the public at CATA’s annual art show each summer.

Executive Director Margaret Keller says, “Shining a light on the artistry of people with disabilities is key to CATA’s mission. We are thrilled to partner with No. Six Depot, and we look forward to sharing the powerful work of our artists with the larger community. A great latte or lunch, combined with the chance to see and purchase striking art— it has all the makings of the perfect afternoon!”

Located in the open central space of the historic train station, the No. Six Depot gallery is home to exhibits, performances and other special events. CATA products featuring artwork will also be available during the exhibit, including note cards, holiday cards, and 2016 calendars.

ALL RISE: Court Dance PREMIERES SEPTEMBER 24th-26th AT SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY

FOR RELEASEAugust 12, 2015Contact: Liana Toscanini(413) 528-5485

ALL RISE: Court Dance PREMIERES SEPTEMBER 24th-26th AT SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY

GREAT BARRINGTON – Community Access to the Arts is pleased to present ALL RISE: Court Dance, a new work choreographed by Dawn Lane. Created in part during a Creative Development Residency at Jacob’s Pillow,with support from the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award Initiative, ALL RISE uses the structures, procedures and protocols of the judicial system as a source for choreography. The hour-long work premieres Thursday, September 24th at 8 p.m., with additional performances on September 25th and September 26th at 8 p.m. at Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, MA.

The hour-long piece features a cast of 11 performers, a commissioned sound score, video projection, and a set that is constructed and deconstructed by the performers. The cast includes Lorimer Burns, Kelsey MacEachern, Leslie Nelson, Diane Prusha, Olivia Wilber, and members of CATA’s Moving Company.

Known for her humor and use of props, Dawn Lane has been making work in the Berkshires for thirty years. ALL RISE: Court Dance is her sixth full-length evening of work. Jacob’s Pillow Creative Development Residencies, in which dance companies and choreographers are invited to live and work at the Pillow and enjoy unlimited studio time during non-Festival months, support visionary choreographers as they create new work or re-stage existing dance work. Says Lane, “I have been connected with the Pillow for thirty years and feel extremely fortunate as a local choreographer to have their support and endorsement.” Ella Baff, Executive Director of Jacob’s Pillow, said “What makes Dawn an incredible choreographer and dancer…is her ability to actively and continually redefine dance…”

In addition to her choreographic work, Lane is Community Access to the Arts’ Program and Artistic Director, a Massachusetts Cultural Council Choreography Fellow, and a teaching artist for the nationally recognized program, Jacob’s Pillow Curriculum in Motion®.Committed to democracy in art, Lane reveals that ALL RISE was influenced by several experiences she encountered in the courtroom. Lane reflects, “Sometimes the good guys can be bad, and bad guys can be good.”

Community Access to the Arts (CATA) nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. CATA serves 600 people with disabilities throughout Berkshire County. For more information about ALL RISE: Court Dance, visit communityaccesstothearts.org.

ALL RISE: Court Dance is sponsored in part by Berkshire Magazine and individual donors. To purchase tickets, call the Shakespeare & Company box office Monday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at (413) 637-3353.

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CATA TO EXHIBIT AT LICHTENSTEIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS THIS SUMMER

FOR RELEASE
May 28, 2015
Contact: Brittany Brouker
(413) 528-5485

CATA TO EXHIBIT AT LICHTENSTEIN CENTER FOR THE ARTS THIS SUMMER
Opening Reception is July 9 at 5 p.m.

GREAT BARRINGTON, MA – Community Access to the Arts (CATA) presents “I Am a Part of Art,” a celebration of CATA’s visual artists and writers. The month-long exhibit at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts in Pittsfield features over 100 works of art created by artists with disabilities from Berkshire County. The opening reception, which is free and open to the public, is Thursday, July 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

“This art show is the culmination of the program year for CATA’s many visual artists, who have been developing their artistry in workshops in painting, drawing, and sculpture all year long. CATA’s exhibit at the Lichtenstein Center for the Arts is a tremendous opportunity for us to share this vibrant work with the public, and to realize CATA’s mission of shining a light on the capabilities of people with disabilities,” reflects CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller.

The exhibit includes a variety of media such as acrylic, tempera, watercolor, oil and chalk pastel, charcoal, India ink, and mixed media, and features abstract and representational paintings and drawings. CATA artists receive a commission on all works sold, and proceeds will also support CATA visual arts programs. CATA visual arts faculty members are artists in their own right: Jeff Gagnon, Pat Hogan, Marlene Marshall, Janice Shields, Stefanie Weber, and Michael Wolski.

CATA offers a wide range of visual and performing arts workshops, serving 600 people with disabilities in 38 residences, day programs, and schools throughout Berkshire County as well as in CATA’s studio space in Great Barrington.

CATA will also hold a poetry reading on Friday, July 24th at 5 p.m. that includes selected works from CATA’s Writers Workshop. Three writing faculty rotate throughout the year to offer CATA’s writers with disabilities a rich and varied experience in creative writing and poetry.

The exhibit runs through July 25th at the city-owned Lichtenstein Center for the Arts located at 28 Renne Avenue in Pittsfield’s Upstreet Cultural District. It is open Wednesday through Saturday, 12 – 5 p.m.

CATA TO EXHIBIT AT LAUREN CLARK WITH SPRING THEME

FOR RELEASE
February 11, 2015
Contact: Liana Toscanini
(413) 528-5485

CATA TO EXHIBIT AT LAUREN CLARK WITH SPRING THEME

GREAT BARRINGTON – Community Access to the Arts (CATA) has been nurturing the artistic talent of people with disabilities for over 20 years. Those talents will be on display at Lauren Clark Fine Arts on Railroad Street in Great Barrington from March 14 through 23, when the gallery hosts a spring show featuring paintings by 14 CATA visual artists.

The opening reception is Saturday, March 14th from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

Paintings featured in the show were created in visual arts workshops held by CATA over the past year and led by CATA’s Faculty Artists, all local artists in their own right. These workshops in painting, drawing, and sculpture are part of a larger group of 1,000 CATA arts workshops held annually, which serve 600 people with disabilities across Berkshire County. Workshops focus on both the visual and performing arts and include modern dance, tap, movement, yoga, singing/drumming, juggling, and creative writing.

Curated by gallery owner Lauren Clark, the exhibit includes paintings with spring themes and landscapes, including a weeping willow by CATA artist, Eric Schumann, best known for his painterly brush strokes. Schumann is one of CATA’s most prolific artists and uses the commission he earns on the sale of his artwork to pay for the many CATA workshops he takes throughout the year.

Established in 2006, Lauren Clark Fine Arts features fine art and contemporary craft by regional and internationally recognized artists in all media, with an emphasis on local artists and community.

“CATA’s core mission is to shine a light on the artistry of people with disabilities. We are thrilled that the public will be able to encounter the extraordinary work of our CATA artists in the beautiful space that is Lauren Clark Fine Arts,” says CATA Executive Director Margaret Keller.

All artwork is for sale, with proceeds split between individual CATA artists and the CATA programs that support them.

The inclusion of CATA’s artists with disabilities in the local arts community takes on particular significance in March, which is National Developmental Disability Awareness Month. CATA is also participating in the Berkshire Festival of Women Writers on March 19. For more information about these events, visit www.communityaccesstotheARTS.org or call 413-528-5485.

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CATA RECEIVES GRANTS TO FUND ARTS PROGRAMS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY

FOR RELEASE
February 1, 2015
Contact: Liana Toscanini
(413) 528-5485

CATA RECEIVES GRANTS TO FUND ARTS PROGRAMS FOR
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN BERKSHIRE COUNTY

GT. BARRINGTON — Community Access to the Arts (CATA) announced it has received a total of $56,200 in grants so far for its 2014-2015 program year. Grants include general operating support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, John Sellon Charitable Residual Trust and The Green Foundation, as well as support for CATA’s performing arts programs from The Dr. Robert C. & Tina Sohn Foundation, The Coolidge Hill Foundation, Xeric Foundation, and Berkshire Life Charitable Foundation. CATA also received funding through The Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Greylock Federal Credit Union, and several site specific grants including support from the City of Pittsfield, Pittsfield Cultural Council, Fund for Williamstown, Seven Towns Educational Partnership Fund, Tri-town Rotary and Mountain One Financial.

Margaret Keller, Executive Director of Community Access to the Arts, explains, “These grants directly underwrite CATA’s core arts programs, which serve 600 people with disabilities across Berkshire County, many of whom receive generous subsidies and scholarships. We are enormously grateful to our funders for their commitment to bringing the arts to all.”

Community Access to the Arts nurtures and celebrates the creativity of people with disabilities through shared experiences in the visual and performing arts. CATA provides nearly 1000 individual arts workshops annually in 37 different human service organizations and in its own studio in Great Barrington. For more information visit www.communityaccesstotheARTS.org

GT. BARRINGTON – Community Access to the Arts (CATA) will host a holiday sale in their studio at 70 Railroad Streeet on Friday, December 5 from 4-7 p.m. and Saturday morning, December 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Proceeds from the sale help fund arts programs for people with disabilities in Berkshire County.

In the CATAdirect Crafts Cooperative, volunteers work side by side with artists with disabilities to craft handmade items from mostly recycled materials. “This is a wonderful program on a number of levels,” said Liana Toscanini, CATA’s Development & Marketing Director. “Our products help tell the CATA story and our artists with disabilities earn commission on items sold — a valuable source of income and self esteem,” said Toscanini.

CATA’s jewelry, cards and accessories are available in local retail stores and online at cataarts.org.

CATAmonials

We have been able to see first hand how our contributions have helped others. CATA really makes you feel there are no limits to what everyone can accomplish if given the opportunity. The spirit and inclusion of everyone is contagious.

— Stephanie and Bob Gittleman

Support CATA

Your gift helps fund the creativity that takes place in more than 1,000 visual and performing arts workshops serving over 600 people with disabilities throughout Berkshire County.Make a donation